BASEBALL

Houma native owns baseball team in New Jersey

Danielle Dronet (second from right) and her fiance, Doug Spiel (second from left), owners of the Newark (N.J.) Bears take a picture with the team's mascots, Ruppert and Effa, and Tim Raines (center), director of player development for the Bears.

Submitted Photo

Raymond LegendreSports Correspondent

Published: Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 9:33 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, December 13, 2012 at 9:33 a.m.

The basics.

That's all Houma native Danielle Dronet knew about baseball when she and her fiance, Doug Spiel, purchased the floundering Newark (N.J.) Bears franchise midway through the 2011 season.

Dronet's knowledge of advertising, business and marketing proved more important in her early days as team owner than knowing the game's intricacies. The Bears' previous ownership, as it turned out, left behind more than $1 million in debt to unpaid vendors, she said.

Dronet and her fiance have since paid off the franchise's debts, started to rebuild its reputation in the Newark community and turned their sights toward a future that includes a mix of baseball and entertainment offered at the team's stadium.

Yet, some remain skeptical, she said.

"In the eyes of the public and traditional baseball enthusiasts it's very difficult for some to accept you do not have to be baseball savvy to own and operate a baseball franchise," said Dronet, who turns 37 this month.

LEARNING CURVE

Dronet is CEO of a New Jersey-based marketing company, Aggressive Promotions, in addition to being the Bears' co-owner, general manager and CEO. The team plays in the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent league nicknamed the Can-Am League.

"She had to learn a lot in a short time," Can-Am commissioner Miles Wolff said, noting baseball is different than other businesses because it does not offer a tangible product customers can take home.

Being a woman executive in a traditionally male-dominated sport also presents challenges, Dronet said.

Dronet is the city's first woman baseball owner since Baseball Hall of Fame member Effa Manley owned the Negro League's Newark Eagles from 1936-48.

Dronet said being a woman owner "extremely, extremely hard."

"There have been some low blows," she said, noting other people can "gossip about someone else."

Asked about Dronet's gender comments, Wolff said he had not noticed any differences but conceded his was a "male perspective."

SUCCESS NO SURPRISE

In the mid-2000s, professional baseball was not on Dronet's radar. She played softball as a child and had coached T-ball but had no greater interest.

However, the fact she's successful comes as no surprise to those closest to her, said her grandmother, Marian Roddy. Dronet lived in Houma until age 4 then moved to the tiny Louisiana town of Satsuma. She declared as a young child she would one day be rich, Roddy recalled.

"Danielle has always been a hard-working young lady," her grandmother said. "She's beautiful and very friendly. You only get that from the Cajuns."

Indeed, Dronet credited her independent streak and ability to cook a mean étoufée with her south Louisiana upbringing.

Many of Dronet's family members still live in south Louisiana, a place she described as being full of "wonderful people with warm hospitality."

In moving to New Jersey five years ago to live closer to Spiel, Dronet unknowingly set in motion her baseball life. She attended games with Spiel, the team's chief doctor.

The couple bought a share of the team in October 2010. The following season, the team's owners offered Dronet and Spiel an opportunity to purchase the team. The Newark Bears have a clouded recent past, defined most notably when the team's then-owners filed for bankruptcy in 2008.

At the time she and her fiance were given two weeks to decide whether to buy the team, its future appeared dicey, Dronet said.

The Newark market is a tough one because it features an ethnically diverse population whose entertainment interests vary widely, Wolff said.

HURDLES CLEARED

Since buying the team, the couple replaced much of the team's staff and increased sponsorships. Dronet has also worked to make the team's stadium a concert venue and host of New Jersey's largest haunted house.

Dronet cleared hurdles due to her nonstop motor and eye for detail, Spiel observed. She works 16 to 18 hours each day, taking "voluminous" notes on everything she does and is unafraid to think outside the box, her fiance said.

And her knowledge of baseball fundamentals is increasing too, thanks to the teachings of Bears assistant and former Major League Baseball great Tim Raines Sr.

<p>The basics.</p><p>That's all Houma native Danielle Dronet knew about baseball when she and her fiance, Doug Spiel, purchased the floundering Newark (N.J.) Bears franchise midway through the 2011 season. </p><p>Dronet's knowledge of advertising, business and marketing proved more important in her early days as team owner than knowing the game's intricacies. The Bears' previous ownership, as it turned out, left behind more than $1 million in debt to unpaid vendors, she said.</p><p>Dronet and her fiance have since paid off the franchise's debts, started to rebuild its reputation in the Newark community and turned their sights toward a future that includes a mix of baseball and entertainment offered at the team's stadium.</p><p>Yet, some remain skeptical, she said.</p><p>"In the eyes of the public and traditional baseball enthusiasts it's very difficult for some to accept you do not have to be baseball savvy to own and operate a baseball franchise," said Dronet, who turns 37 this month. </p><p>LEARNING CURVE</p><p>Dronet is CEO of a New Jersey-based marketing company, Aggressive Promotions, in addition to being the Bears' co-owner, general manager and CEO. The team plays in the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent league nicknamed the Can-Am League.</p><p>"She had to learn a lot in a short time," Can-Am commissioner Miles Wolff said, noting baseball is different than other businesses because it does not offer a tangible product customers can take home.</p><p>Being a woman executive in a traditionally male-dominated sport also presents challenges, Dronet said.</p><p>Dronet is the city's first woman baseball owner since Baseball Hall of Fame member Effa Manley owned the Negro League's Newark Eagles from 1936-48.</p><p>Dronet said being a woman owner "extremely, extremely hard." </p><p>"There have been some low blows," she said, noting other people can "gossip about someone else." </p><p>Asked about Dronet's gender comments, Wolff said he had not noticed any differences but conceded his was a "male perspective."</p><p>SUCCESS NO SURPRISE</p><p>In the mid-2000s, professional baseball was not on Dronet's radar. She played softball as a child and had coached T-ball but had no greater interest.</p><p>However, the fact she's successful comes as no surprise to those closest to her, said her grandmother, Marian Roddy. Dronet lived in Houma until age 4 then moved to the tiny Louisiana town of Satsuma. She declared as a young child she would one day be rich, Roddy recalled. </p><p>"Danielle has always been a hard-working young lady," her grandmother said. "She's beautiful and very friendly. You only get that from the Cajuns."</p><p>Indeed, Dronet credited her independent streak and ability to cook a mean étoufée with her south Louisiana upbringing.</p><p>Many of Dronet's family members still live in south Louisiana, a place she described as being full of "wonderful people with warm hospitality." </p><p>Her grandfather, Sonny Roddy, owns Sonny's Angels Barbershop on South Van Avenue in Houma.</p><p>BUYING THE TEAM</p><p>In moving to New Jersey five years ago to live closer to Spiel, Dronet unknowingly set in motion her baseball life. She attended games with Spiel, the team's chief doctor.</p><p>The couple bought a share of the team in October 2010. The following season, the team's owners offered Dronet and Spiel an opportunity to purchase the team. The Newark Bears have a clouded recent past, defined most notably when the team's then-owners filed for bankruptcy in 2008.</p><p>At the time she and her fiance were given two weeks to decide whether to buy the team, its future appeared dicey, Dronet said.</p><p>The Newark market is a tough one because it features an ethnically diverse population whose entertainment interests vary widely, Wolff said.</p><p>HURDLES CLEARED</p><p>Since buying the team, the couple replaced much of the team's staff and increased sponsorships. Dronet has also worked to make the team's stadium a concert venue and host of New Jersey's largest haunted house.</p><p>Dronet cleared hurdles due to her nonstop motor and eye for detail, Spiel observed. She works 16 to 18 hours each day, taking "voluminous" notes on everything she does and is unafraid to think outside the box, her fiance said.</p><p>And her knowledge of baseball fundamentals is increasing too, thanks to the teachings of Bears assistant and former Major League Baseball great Tim Raines Sr.</p><p>Today, she knows 40 percent of fundamentals, she estimated. </p><p>Now if only she can make the team a hit.</p>